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Abstract:

A crane apparatus installed on a pier, wharf, bulkhead wharf or other
foundation directly transships containers from a vessel moored alongside
the foundation to another transportation mode without ground placement of
the containers. The crane apparatus includes a parent crane displaceable
along the foundation for unloading containers from the vessel and placing
them on a first platform of the parent crane, and a sibling crane
displaceable along the foundation independently of displacement of the
parent crane for loading containers from the first platform directly onto
over-the-ground vehicles or onto another vessel moored alongside the
foundation. The parent crane has a first trolley-hoist-spreader movable
along an outreach boom for unloading containers from the vessel and
placing them on either the first platform or a second platform of the
parent crane, and a second trolley-hoist-spreader movable along a
backreach boom for loading containers from the second platform onto
another vessel or onto over-the-ground vehicles. A container security
scanning system may be provided on the second platform for scanning the
containers while on the second platform to determine whether one or more
preselected chemical, biological, explosive or nuclear materials are
present in the containers.

Claims:

1. A crane apparatus installed on a foundation that extends into water for
directly transshipping containers from a vessel moored alongside the
foundation to another transportation mode without ground placement of the
containers, the crane apparatus comprising: a parent crane that is
movable along a trackway extending lengthwise along the foundation and
that unloads containers from a vessel moored alongside the foundation and
places them on a first platform affixed to the parent crane; and a
sibling crane that is movable along the foundation at ground level,
independently of movement of the parent crane along its trackway, and
that loads containers from the first platform directly onto
over-the-ground vehicles without ground placement of the containers.

2. A crane apparatus according to claim 1; wherein the parent crane has a
first trolley-hoist-spreader movable along an outreach boom for unloading
containers from the vessel and placing the containers on either the first
platform or a second platform of the parent crane, and a second
trolley-hoist-spreader movable along a backreach boom for loading
containers from the second platform onto another vessel moored alongside
the foundation or onto over-the-ground vehicles without ground placement
of the containers.

3. A crane apparatus according to claim 2; wherein the second
trolley-hoist-spreader is movable in both lengthwise and widthwise
directions of the backreach boom.

4. A crane apparatus according to claim 2; wherein the second
trolley-hoist-spreader is movable in both lengthwise and widthwise
directions of the backreach boom to enable loading of containers from the
second platform onto another vessel in plural cells while the parent
crane remains in a fixed position along the foundation.

5. A crane apparatus according to claim 2; wherein the second
trolley-hoist-spreader is movable in both lengthwise and widthwise
directions of the backreach boom to enable loading of containers from the
second platform onto a plurality of over-the-ground vehicles positioned
in end-to-end relation in the lengthwise direction of the foundation
while the parent crane remains in a fixed position along the foundation.

6. A crane apparatus according to claim 2; wherein the sibling crane is
movable along a trackway that runs beneath the backreach boom of the
parent crane.

7. A crane apparatus according to claim 1; wherein the sibling crane is
movable along a trackway that runs beneath the parent crane.

8. A crane apparatus installed on a foundation that extends into water for
directly transshipping containers from a vessel moored alongside the
foundation to another transportation mode without ground placement of the
containers, the crane apparatus comprising: a double boom crane movable
along a trackway that extends along the foundation, the double boom crane
having a first trolley-hoist-spreader moveable along an outreach boom for
unloading containers from a vessel moored alongside the foundation and
placing them on a platform of the crane, and a second
trolley-hoist-spreader movable along a backreach boom for loading
containers from the platform onto another vessel moored alongside the
foundation or onto over-the-ground vehicles without ground placement of
the containers.

9. A crane apparatus according to claim 8; wherein the second
trolley-hoist-spreader is movable in both lengthwise and widthwise
directions of the backreach boom.

10. A crane apparatus according to claim 8; wherein the second
trolley-hoist-spreader is movable in both lengthwise and widthwise
directions of the backreach boom to enable loading of containers from the
second platform onto another vessel in plural cells while the parent
crane remains in a fixed position along the foundation.

11. A crane apparatus according to claim 8; wherein the second
trolley-hoist-spreader is movable in both lengthwise and widthwise
directions of the backreach boom to enable loading of containers from the
second platform onto a plurality of over-the-ground vehicles positioned
in end-to-end relation in the lengthwise direction of the foundation
while the parent crane remains in a fixed position along the foundation.

12. A crane apparatus according to claim 8; wherein the second
trolley-hoist-spreader comprises a double trolley that has a main trolley
movable backward and forward in a lengthwise direction along the
backreach boom and a secondary trolley carried by the main trolley and
movable backward and forward in a widthwise direction of the backreach
boom.

13. A crane apparatus according to claim 12; further including a container
security scanning system disposed on the platform of the crane and that
scans the containers while on the platform to determine whether one or
more preselected chemical, biological, explosive or nuclear materials are
present in the containers.

14. A crane apparatus according to claim 8; further including a container
security scanning system disposed on the platform of the crane and that
scans the containers while on the platform to determine whether one or
more preselected chemical, biological, explosive or nuclear materials are
present in the containers.

15. A method for transshipping containers from a vessel moored alongside a
foundation to another transportation mode, without ground placement of
the containers, using a double boom crane having a first
trolley-hoist-spreader movable along an outreach boom and a second
trolley-hoist-spreader movable along a backreach boom, the method
comprising the steps of:unloading containers from a vessel moored
alongside a foundation using the first trolley-hoist-spreader and placing
the containers on a platform of the double boom crane; andtransferring
the containers from the platform directly onto another vessel moored
alongside the foundation or onto over-the-ground vehicles, without
intervening ground placement of the containers, using the second
trolley-hoist-spreader.

16. A method according to claim 15; wherein the transferring step
comprises transferring the containers from the platform directly onto
rail-cars.

18. A method according to claim 15; wherein the transferring step
comprises transferring the containers from the platform directly onto
another vessel by moving the second trolley-hoist-spreader in both
lengthwise and widthwise directions of the backreach boom to load the
containers in plural cells onto the other vessel while the double boom
crane remains in a fixed position as along the foundation.

19. A method according to claim 15; wherein the transferring step
comprises transferring the containers from the platform directly onto
over-the-ground vehicles by moving the second trolley-hoist-spreader in
both lengthwise and widthwise directions of the backreach boom to load
the containers onto two or more over-the-ground vehicles positioned in
end-to-end relation in the lengthwise direction of the foundation while
the double boom crane remains in a fixed position along the foundation.

20. A method according to claim 15; further including the step of scanning
the containers while on the platform to determine whether one or more
preselected chemical, biological, explosive or nuclear materials are
present in the containers.

Description:

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser.
No. 11/823,792 filed Jun. 28, 2007, which is a continuation of U.S.
application Ser. No. 09/992,704 filed Nov. 14, 2001, which claims the
benefit of provisional Application Nos. 60/248,274 filed Nov. 14, 2000
and 60/275,335 filed Mar. 13, 2001, which are hereby incorporated by
reference, and priority thereto for common subject matter is hereby
claimed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002]The present invention relates generally to container cranes, and
more particularly to a crane apparatus and method for directly
transshipping containers between transportation modes without the need
for placing the containers on the ground.

[0003]The volume of worldwide containerized cargo is increasing faster
than is the capacity of many of the world's conventional marine container
terminals. The problem is being compounded by a shortage of terminal
space and increasing congestion caused by traditional,
ship/stack/trailer-truck type operations. In addition, air pollution
problems in and around marine terminals, most notably in older port
cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Rotterdam and Hamburg, now dictate
that major changes are needed in the method of handling marine container
cargoes.

[0004]The primary reason these problems continue to increase can be
attributed to one factor: The rapid increase in container vessel size,
i.e., from 4,000 TEU (Panamax) to 12,000 TEU (Ultra Large Container
Vessels--(ULCVs). This represents a capacity increase of 300% in less
than twenty years.

[0005]A surge effect is caused by the large increase in the volume of
containers having to be handled from an ULCV.

[0007]The resulting pollution problem is further aggravated by the number
of road trailer-trucks that are forced to wait longer periods idling
their engines, before they can pick-up or drop-off containers. In
addition, vessels run their auxiliary engines while at dock in order to
maintain on-board electric power further contributing to the pollution
problem.

[0008]At the same time that terminal traffic congestion and pollution
problems have been increasing, container security problems have also
increased. Currently, only limited container scanning and screening is
taking place and then only at terminal truck exit portals. This can
result in a time delay of several days before even these few containers
are scanned.

[0009]The net result of these increasing problems has been to reduce
container terminal thruput rates. This, in turn, has limited the
economies of scale achievable by the ULCVs. These large ships are having
to spend an increased portion of their overall logistics time in port
rather than at sea where they make money.

[0010]It is not a coincidence that Maersk Line, one of the most efficient
long haul container shipping fleets in the world, has recently posted its
first operating loss, in spite of the number of new ULCVs entering its
service.

[0011]While congestion delays and pollution problems at many container
terminals have increased severely over the past 20 years, solutions to
these problems have been hard to realize, and are taking a long time, if
ever, to implement.

[0012]For example:

[0013]1. On-dock, or near dock, rail facilities are proving difficult to
locate in terminals where ship-to-truck operations predominate.

[0014]2. "Cold-ironing" onboard ULCVs, so they can shut down their diesel
engines while in port, is proving costly and encountering delays in
installation.

[0015]3. The attempts so far to increase the number of containers being
scanned have failed for both operational and technical reasons.

[0016]One solution to mitigate these problems would come from logistics
systems that enable the direct transshipment of containers between
transportation modes, i.e., without the need for their ground placement
before they leave the terminal. For example, direct transshipment between
container ships and feeder vessels, barges, ferries, etc., and direct
transshipment between container ships and container unit-trains.

[0017]Modern examples of port/rail container terminal facilities are those
in Los Angeles (Pier 400 and the Alameda Rail Corridor Project) and ECT
project at Maasvlacht. The ECT project is being linked to the Ruhr
District in Germany by a new rail tunnel and railroad being constructed
in connection with Deutsche Bahn.

[0018]Both these terminals, however, currently involve indirect ship to
unit-train transshipment container logistics systems, i.e., the dockside
cranes move the containers from the ship via one or more types of ground
transportation units to a container stacking yard. Such ground
transportation units are either manned (driver driven) or automated
transfer systems. Examples are: Gaussin S. A.'s multi-trailer sets (MTS);
BUISCAR's system; automated guided vehicles (AGVs) such as those of
Siemens/Demag and, more recently, 1-over-1 shuttle straddle carriers such
as those of Kalmar Industries. Because these transfer systems move the
containers from dockside to intermediate container stacking areas within
the marine terminal, they are classed as INDIRECT, as against DIRECT,
transshipment systems.

[0019]Various types of mobile container lifting equipment, such as
rubber-tired gantries (RTGs) or rail-mounted gantries (RMGs), then
transfer the containers from these ground transportation systems and
stack the containers in the terminal's stack, or storage, areas. Here the
containers wait until a unit-train comes into, or nearby, the marine
terminal, at which time various types of mobile container lifting
equipment again lift the containers and load them onto the rail-cars.
There are therefore a minimum of three handlings of the container in such
an indirect "on-dock" rail transshipment logistics system. Often the need
to sort containers between stacks can lead to a further two or three
additional handlings of a container.

[0020]One recent advance has been to automate the container
stacking/unstacking functions within the terminal. This is exemplified by
the Hessenatie/Siemens/Demag overhead automated bridge crane stacking
system that was tested in the Port of Antwerp and by the PSA automated
terminal system in Singapore.

[0021]These systems, while certainly increasing container handling
productivity within terminals, whether manned or automated, are still
only component parts of indirect transshipment systems.

[0022]By contrast, DIRECT, as against INDIRECT, transshipment of
containers between ship and other transportation modes (such as container
feeder vessels, barges and/or container unit-trains and other
over-the-ground equipment) requires that such multiple handling be
avoided. This can only be done if the quayside container crane is
designed to move the container to these other transportation modes
directly, without the necessity of ground placement, thereby eliminating,
to the maximum extent possible, the need for container stacking within
the terminal.

[0023]In turn, this can only be done by a totally new system of container
handling and logistics. Specifically by the use of multiple hoists
(together with one or more platforms) within a "parent" quayside
container crane. In addition, for the direct transshipment of containers
between ship and container unit-trains and other over-the-ground
equipment, an independent but associated "sibling" crane must work in
conjunction with its parent quayside container crane.

[0024]Such a sibling crane must be able to move independently under and on
either side of its parent crane. As such, by moving independently along
the quay, or wharf, it can load rail-cars (or other over-the-ground
equipment) even though its parent crane has to remain in a fixed position
while unloading a particular cell of a container vessel.

[0025]The mobile parent quayside container cranes working in conjunction
with their associated sibling cranes according to this invention,
hereinafter sometimes referred to as the Poseidon® crane system,
achieve the direct transfer of containers between all these
transportation modes without the necessity of ground placement, within
the shortest possible cycle distance, and in the shortest possible cycle
time.

[0026]The sibling cranes in this invention can be either rubber-tired
gantry cranes (RTGs) or rail-mounted gantry cranes (RMGs). In practice,
however, because of the narrow conditions, and for control and safety
reasons, the optimal cranes to use should be RMGs.

[0027]Another major consideration is that, as the size and draft
requirements of container vessels continue to increase, many relatively
shallow ports are no longer able to receive such vessels. This is
particularly true on the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts. The economies of
scale achievable by the use of these larger ships, however, is forcing a
dramatic change in planning for the future. The concept of centralized
hub terminals, dedicated to a single shipping company or Alliance, and
capable of taking the deepest draft container ships, which then transship
containers to container unit-trains and/or to feeder vessels and/or
barges for their movement to shallower ports, is now being actively
explored by shipping companies, terminal companies and port authorities
around the world. In the United States, this trend is exemplified by
Maersk/Sealand's decision to possibly leave its major U.S. East Coast hub
in the Port of New York/New Jersey for a deep-water, 568 acre, site they
have purchased in Portsmouth, Va., a decision being forced by the
multi-billion dollar cost of trying to deepen the channel to its existing
facilities in Port Elizabeth, New Jersey.

[0028]As a result of these changes in marine container logistics systems,
there is a parallel need being generated for new types of container
handling and transshipping equipment. According to one aspect of this
invention, a parent quayside container crane with its associated sibling
crane is designed to enable the direct transshipment of marine containers
without the necessity of ground placement. The invention is particularly
useful for the direct transshipment of marine containers between
container ships and (1) other marine modes such as feeder ships, barges,
ferries, etc. and (2) over-the-ground vehicle modes including (a) railway
modes, such as single-stack and double-stack container unit-trains, (b)
all types of wheeled over-the-ground equipment, manned or automated, and
(c) road trailer-trucks and multi-trailer sets.

[0029]According to another aspect of this invention, the parent quayside
container crane may be a double broom crane having both an outreach boom
and a backreach boom, which results in a more stable center of gravity
that is particularly advantageous at longer outreaches such as needed for
loading/unloading containers onto/from large-capacity modern-day
container vessels, such as ULCVs.

[0030]The crane apparatus having cooperating parent and sibling cranes
according to the present invention is designed to operate optimally on
piers, including "J" "L" and "T" piers, wharves, bulkhead wharves, etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0031]One object of the present invention is to provide a crane apparatus
and method for the direct transshipment of marine containers between
transportation modes and which overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks
associated with prior art crane systems.

[0032]A further object of the present invention is to provide a crane
apparatus and method for the direct transshipment of marine containers
between transportation modes with container security scanning and
screening occurring during transshipment.

[0033]Another object of the present invention is to provide a crane
apparatus and method that uses one or more sets of parent and sibling
cranes operable in synchronization to effect transverse and longitudinal
transshipment of containers between transportation modes without the
necessity for ground placement of the containers.

[0034]A further object of the present invention is to provide a crane
apparatus and method for the direct transshipment of marine containers
between transportation modes and which has higher lift per hour rates of
containers to or from a vessel than prior art crane systems.

[0035]Another object of the present invention is to provide a crane
apparatus and method for the direct transshipment of marine containers
between transportation modes using a double boom crane, the double boom
crane being useable either with or without an associated sibling crane.

[0036]These as well as other objects, features and advantages of the
invention are realized, in one aspect, by a crane apparatus having
multiple hoists and container platforms within a parent crane and its
independent, but associated, sibling crane that, as these cranes are
operated in synchronization, allows for the transverse and longitudinal
transshipment of containers between all transportation modes without the
necessity of ground placement of the containers.

[0037]This system of multiple hoists and container platforms allows the
parent crane to remain in any fixed position while unloading/loading a
container ship as fast as possible, i.e., without having to be involved
in numerous time-consuming, short distance, moves back and forth along
the pier or wharf. The parent crane can remain in a fixed position as
long as necessary, for example, in order to complete the
unloading/loading cycle for any single cell on the container ship. It can
remain in its fixed position whatever moves subsequently have to be made
by the other modes in the overall transshipment cycle, i.e., specifically
whatever moves have to be made by other marine vessels or by container
unit-trains or by other over-the-ground vehicles.

[0038]The advantages of this direct transshipment system include the
following:

[0039]1. Faster turn-around time for the container ship resulting from the
high lift/hour rates of the parent cranes.

[0040]2. Direct loading of on-going land modes from the terminal, or
in-coming land modes to the terminal, resulting in quicker turn-around
times for such equipment.

[0041]3. Less dwell-time, and more secure dwell-time, of containers within
the terminal.

[0042]4. Less overall lift and transfer cost of containers in and out of
the terminal.

[0043]The foregoing as well as other objects, features and advantages of
the invention are realized, in another aspect, by a crane apparatus
having a double boom (DB) crane, which provides significant advantages
over a single boom (SB) crane in reducing congestion and pollution
problems, and container security problems, at container terminals. The
single boom (SB) cranes, presently in use, cannot solve this
constellation of problems. This can only be done by the introduction of
double boom (DB) cranes.

[0044]SB cranes have an additional problem. As vessels have increased in
size, they have increased in width. The Emma Maersk class (at 22
containers across) is twice as wide as the Panamax Class (at 11
containers across). The outreach of the SB crane has had to increase from
100 ft to 200 ft. As a result, the center of gravity of SB cranes has
become precarious; as witnessed by the fact that five such cranes were
blown over by high winds in Busan harbor.

[0045]DB cranes have both an outreach and a backreach boom. This results
in a more stable center of gravity and allows them to operate at higher
dynamic load levels than can SB cranes.

[0046]This disclosure describes the use of DB cranes in two illustrative
embodiments:

[0047]First: In the direct transshipment of containers between vessel and
rail-cars, and vise versa, without the need for ground placement of the
containers.

[0048]Second: In the direct transshipment of containers between longhaul
vessel and feeder vessel, and vise versa, also without the need for
ground placement of the containers.

[0049]This invention thus strikes at the heart of the growing container
congestion and associated pollution problems plaguing many container
terminals today. This invention, in both illustrative embodiments,
significantly shortens the distances and time cycle for a container
before it is transshipped through the terminal and ongoing in the next
transportation mode. DB cranes used in their direct transshipment modes
can achieve these faster container cycling times as effectively for
import containers as for export containers, i.e. their efficiency is the
same for loading as for unloading a vessel.

[0050]One unique and additional aspect of both DB configurations is the
installation of a deck at the gantry portal level of the cranes. In its
simplest form, the portal level deck is the site for three or more
buffer-slot platforms, which accommodate temporary delays in the handling
and checking of any individual container, thus not slowing down the
overall lift rate of the crane.

[0051]In its more complex configuration, the portal level deck is also the
site for three or four container security scanning and screening systems.
Installation of such container security scanning systems can involve
gamma-ray, neutron, x-Ray or spectroscopic detection; or, in a more
advanced configuration, can also involve total integrated CBENR scanning.

[0052]Importantly, scanning, under either configuration, is undertaken at
the same time as trolley movements. As a result, there is no loss in a DB
crane's overall container cycling time, even when integrated container
scanning of all containers is included.

[0053]In fact, by DB cranes not having to lower or raise containers onto
or from the wharf apron under the crane, the distance traveled by
containers within such cranes is actually shortened, and faster cycle
times can be achieved. With faster container cycle times, DB cranes, as
exemplified in this disclosure, thus also shorten the long-haul
turn-around-time of the vessel. This, in turn, reduces the ratio of
voyage berth time to voyage sailing time and significantly improves the
profitability of the ULCVs.

[0054]These advantages of the DB cranes can improve productivity, reduce
costs, reduce pollution, reduce congestion and increase container
security. These benefits can be achieved over the entire container
logistics chain, especially if DB cranes are installed at major origin,
destination and, as importantly, at major transshipment ports and
terminals.

[0055]In addition, while benefiting port and terminal economics, DB cranes
will also benefit vessel economics thus allowing shipping lines to
realize their full economies of scale.

[0056]Finally, while DB cranes are more expensive than standard SB cranes,
their major savings more than offset their increased cost. The use of DB
cranes significantly reduces the number of terminal vehicles needed,
i.e., RTGs, RMGs, straddle-carriers, yard-tractors, top-picks, etc. In
addition, the size of container stacks within the terminals can be
reduced as can the number of RTGs and/or RMGs involved in servicing the
stacks. This large reduction in yard equipment and operators more than
offsets the increase in DB crane related jobs.

[0058]The foregoing as well as numerous other objects, features and
advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to those of
ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed
description of the invention when read in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0059]FIG. 1 is an explanatory elevational view, partly in section, of one
embodiment of a crane apparatus and method according to the present
invention, showing a parent quayside container crane and its associated
sibling rail-mounted gantry crane (RMG crane), both mobile on rails,
mounted on a standard-type pier constructed, for example, on the slab,
plinth and piling principle, and illustrating the manner in which these
cranes are able to transship containers directly between various
transportation modes without the necessity for ground placement of the
containers.

[0060]FIG. 2 is an explanatory elevational view, partly in section, of
another embodiment of a crane apparatus and method according to the
present invention, showing the crane apparatus mounted on a standard-type
pier and showing the transshipping of containers from a container vessel
directly to other marine mode vessels such as, for example in this case,
to a river/harbor barge or to a feeder vessel (or, as is more likely in
the United States, a coastal tug-barge system), without the need for
ground placement of the containers.

[0061]FIG. 3 is an explanatory elevational view, partly in section, of
another embodiment of a crane apparatus and method according to the
present invention, showing the crane apparatus mounted on a standard-type
pier and showing the transshipping of containers from a container vessel
directly to the railway mode such as, for example in this case, to
single-stack and double-stack rail-cars comprising cuts of container
unit-trains standing on the pier on railway tracks immediately under the
cranes, again without the need for ground placement of the containers.

[0062]FIG. 3a is an enlarged view of part of the crane apparatus of FIG. 3
showing the unloading/loading cycle of the sibling crane.

[0063]FIG. 4 is an explanatory plan view of a container ship alongside a
pier, illustrating the manner in which several parent quayside container
cranes directly transship containers to rail-cars on the pier.

[0064]FIG. 5 is an explanatory elevational view, partly in section, of
another embodiment of a crane apparatus and method according to the
present invention, showing the crane apparatus mounted on a standard-type
pier and showing the transshipping of containers from a container vessel
directly to over-the-ground equipment, such as, for example in this case,
directly to manned, or automated, multi-trailer sets (MTS) and/or
automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and/or trailer-trucks standing on the
pier immediately under the cranes, and again all without the need for
ground placement of the containers.

[0065]FIG. 5a is an enlarged view of part of the crane apparatus of FIG. 5
showing the unloading/loading cycle of the sibling crane.

[0066]FIG. 6 is an explanatory elevational view, partly in section, of
another embodiment of a crane apparatus and method according to the
present invention, showing the crane apparatus mounted on a standard-type
pier and showing the transshipping of hatch covers from a container
vessel directly to a hatch-cover platform within the parent quayside
container crane without the necessity for ground placement of the hatch
covers.

[0067]FIG. 7 is an explanatory elevational view, partly in section, of
another embodiment of a crane apparatus and method according to the
present invention, showing the crane apparatus mounted on a caisson and
illustrating the transshipping of containers between all the modes
illustrated in FIG. 1 as well as the direct transshipment between each
mode individually, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 5.

[0068]FIGS. 8 through 10 are explanatory elevational views, partly in
section, of other embodiments of crane apparatus and methods according to
the present invention, showing the crane apparatus mounted on different
support structures or foundations.

[0069]FIG. 11 is an explanatory elevational view, partly in section, of a
further embodiment of a crane apparatus and method according to the
present invention, showing a smaller version of crane apparatus and
showing the transshipping of containers from a container barge directly
to the railway mode such as, for example in this case, to single-stack
and double-stack rail-cars without the necessity for ground placement of
the containers.

[0070]FIGS. 12a-12c illustrate one example of a machine
trolley-hoist-spreader displaceable lengthwise and widthwise along a boom
of the crane apparatus, FIG. 12a being a plan view, FIG. 12b being a
cross-sectional view taken along line 12b-12b of FIG. 12a, and FIG. 12c
being a cross-sectional view taken along line 12c-12c of FIG. 12b.

[0071]FIG. 13a is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a DB
crane installed on a wharf for the direct transshipment of containers
between vessels and container railcars, and vise versa, without the need
for ground placement of the containers.

[0072]FIG. 13b is a plan view, and FIGS. 13c and 13d, respectively, are
cross-section elevational views taken along the lines A-A and B-B in FIG.
13(a) through the outreach boom and backreach boom of the DB crane.

[0073]FIG. 14 is an explanatory plan view of a container terminal wharf
showing eight DB cranes unloading/loading containers directly between a
ULCV and unit-train cuts of container rail cars. A cutaway in FIG. 14
shows the sibling cranes used in these transfers and which eliminate the
necessity of ground placement of said the containers.

[0074]FIG. 15 is a plan view of a standard container terminal where
ship-to-stack and stack-to-truck and stack-to-off-dock rail are the
primary container logistics functions.

[0075]FIG. 16a is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a DB
crane installed on a pier for the direct transshipment of containers
between large vessels and smaller feeder vessels, and vise versa, without
the need for ground placement of the containers.

[0076]FIG. 16b is a plan view and FIGS. 16c and 16d, respectively, are
cross-section elevational views taken along lines A-A and B-B in FIG.
16(a) through the outreach boom and backreach boom of the DB crane.

[0077]FIG. 17a is a plan view of a smaller (4000 TEU) feeder vessel.

[0078]FIG. 17b is a plan view of a ULCV (12,000 TEU) vessel.

[0079]FIG. 17c is a plan view of a container terminal pier in which eight
DB cranes are directly unloading/loading, across the pier, containers
between the ULCV and feeder vessels, and vise versa, without the need for
ground placement of the containers.

[0080]FIGS. 18a, 18b and 18c are, respectively, cross-sectional views and
a plan view of the trolley-hoist-spreader on the outreach boom of all the
DB cranes.

[0081]FIGS. 19a, 19b, 19d and 19e are cross-sectional views, and FIG. 19c
is a plan view, of the trolley-hoist-spreader on the backreach boom of
the DB crane designed for direct transshipment of containers between
vessels without the need for ground placement of these containers.

[0082]FIGS. 20a, and 20c are cross-sectional views and 20b is a plan view
of the integrated container security scanning system for integrated
Chemical, Biological, Explosive and Nuclear (CBEN) scanning of all
containers that can be installed at the gantry portal level of all the DB
cranes.

[0083]FIG. 21 is a plan view of an intermodal container terminal utilizing
double boom DB and single boom SB cranes for direct transfer of
containers between different transportation modes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0084]The present invention relates to crane apparatus and methods for
effecting the direct transshipment of containers between transportation
modes without the need for placing the containers on the ground. The
crane apparatus comprises one or more sets of parent and sibling cranes,
which are movable independently of one another, in synchronization, to
directly transship containers between transportation modes. For ease of
description, the embodiments of the invention described hereinafter show
only one set of parent and sibling cranes, it being understood that in
practice there will be two, three, four or more sets of parent and
sibling cranes operating at the same time, depending on the size and type
of container vessel being loaded/unloaded. Throughout the drawings, the
same or like elements are denoted by the same reference characters.

[0085]One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1, which
shows crane apparatus comprising a parent quayside container crane 1
together with its associated sibling RMG crane 4, both of which are
movable on ground level trackways such as rails along a pier 14. As
explained hereinafter, the parent crane 1 cooperates with the sibling
crane 4 to effect the direct transshipment of containers 8 between
container ships A (of whatever size and beam) and (1) other marine modes
B, such as river/harbor barges or feeder vessels (or, as is more likely
in the United States, coastal tug-barge systems); and/or (2)
over-the-ground vehicles, such as double-stack rail cars C1 and single
stack rail-cars C2; and/or (3) other modes of over-the-ground equipment,
such as yard tractors D.

[0086]As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile parent quayside container crane 1 has
two crane booms 2 and 3 placed on opposing sides thereof and built into,
and part of, its overall structure. The boom 2 carries a rope
trolley-hoist-spreader 5a (or alternatively a machine trolley) and an
independently mounted operator control cabin 5b. The boom 3 carries a
machine trolley-hoist-spreader 6a and an independently mounted operator
control cabin 6b. At least two platform bearing structures Y and Z are
built into the overall structure of the mobile parent quayside container
crane 1. If the boom 2 carries a rope trolley-hoist-spreader, then a rope
trolley-hoist driving motor and winch room 7 is located on the platform
bearing structure Y. A fixed platform 9 for receiving containers 8 and a
fixed platform 10 for receiving hatch covers 11 are both located on the
platform bearing structure Z. The fixed platform 9 is designed to enable
twist-lock crews to unlock, and lock, the twist-locks on the containers 8
when necessary.

[0087]The parent quayside container crane 1, which is displaceable
lengthwise along the pier on its own ground level rails, has associated
with it the sibling rail-mounted gantry crane (RMG) 4, which is
independently displaceable lengthwise along the pier 14 on its own ground
level rails. The sibling RMG crane 4 is capable of operating under, and
in conjunction with, the parent crane 1, but independently of it, for a
given distance on either side of the parent crane, without interfering
with the other parent quayside container cranes 1 and their sibling RMG
cranes 4 (not shown) as they may also be operating on either side along
the same pier 14.

[0088]The sibling RMG crane 4 is mounted on its own set of rails,
independent of the rails upon which the mobile parent quayside container
crane 1 is mounted. As such, the sibling RMG crane 4 can travel back and
forth along the pier 14, under any position of its mobile parent crane 1
as, for example, while the parent crane 1 is in a fixed position
unloading or loading a particular cell of a container ship. The actual
distance that the sibling RMG crane 4 can travel along the pier 14, under
and on either side of its parent crane 1, when the crane 1 is in a fixed
position, however, is determined by the distance that similar sibling RMG
cranes 4 are also working along the same pier 14 on either side under
their respective parent cranes 1.

[0089]The parent crane 1 has a fixed receiving platform 12 for containers
8 on one side of, and fixed to the structure of, the crane 1. The
platform 12 is designed to enable twist-lock crews to unlock and lock the
twist-locks on the containers 8 when necessary.

[0090]The sibling RMG crane 4 has working within it, and operating at
right angles to the rail-mounted movement of the crane 4 along the pier
14, a trolley-hoist-spreader 13a and an operator control cabin 13b.

[0091]Each mobile parent crane 1, and each mobile sibling RMG crane 4
associated with it, together with their rails and power systems, are
capable of being mounted on piers, either standard type piers, for
example, of the slab, plinth and piling type 14 as shown in FIG. 1, or
caisson piers 19, as shown in FIG. 7.

[0092]In this embodiment of the invention, and in order to lessen the
width, and therefore the capital investment cost, of the pier 14, it is
preferable to construct a raised platform 15 along the pier on which can
be placed containers 16 awaiting re-stow aboard the container ship A. The
raised platform 15 not only shortens the cycle time for such re-stowing
of containers 16 but also creates a transportation corridor 17 (under the
platform 15) for use by over-the-ground vehicles, such as yard-tractors
D, etc.

[0093]It should be noted that the raised platform 15 is a stand-alone
fixed structure running along the pier 14, and is in no way connected to
the mobile parent cranes 1 or the mobile sibling RMG cranes 4 which must
be free to move past the platform 15, up and down the pier 14.

[0094]FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the invention in which the mobile
parent cranes 1 and their mobile sibling RMG cranes 4 are mounted on and
displaceable lengthwise along rails on a pier 14. Alternatively, as shown
in FIG. 7, the mobile parent cranes 1 and their mobile sibling RMG cranes
4 can be mounted on trackways on a wharf, or a bulkhead wharf, built
either by conventional methods or again, as constructed by caissons 19.

[0095]When the Poseidon® crane system of the invention is placed on a
wharf or bulkhead wharf, the option is available as to whether the raised
platform 15, and the over-the-ground vehicle transportation corridor 17
that is under it, should or should not be constructed. This decision will
depend on the layout of the backland of the terminal. If sufficient space
is available, then containers 16, awaiting restowing aboard the container
vessel A, can be stacked on the ground by the machine
trolley-hoist-spreader 6a on the boom 3, and the transportation corridor
17 can be located landside of the restow stacks.

[0096]FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the crane apparatus of the
invention used to directly transship containers 8 across a pier 14,
between a container ship A and other marine modes B, such as river/harbor
barges, ferries, etc., and for example specifically in this case, to a
container feeder vessel (or, as is more likely in the United States, to a
coastal container tug-barge system).

[0097]The cycle time for unloading a container is made up of basically two
movements, vertical and horizontal. Over the same travel distance, and
when acceleration and de-acceleration times are taken into account,
vertical movements of containers take approximately twice as long as
horizontal movements.

[0098]As container ships have increased in size, the vertical movements
over which a container has to move have also increased. When working such
large vessels, the cycle time of single-hoist dock-side container cranes
is now too long, i.e., at between 120 and 150 seconds on average in the
United States.

[0099]If the cycle time is to be shortened, multiple hoists must cycle
concurrently within the crane and, as importantly, these multiple hoists
must operate with platforms within the crane. For example, in FIG. 2 are
shown fixed container platforms 9, 10 and 12 constructed as integral
structural parts of the mobile parent crane 1.

[0100]The overall cycle time for transshipping a container 8 is shortened
by the fact that the first trolley-hoist-spreader 5a on the boom 2 has
only to move the container 8 out of the ship A to the platform 9, high up
in the crane, or to the platform 12 which is close to the dock-front. In
either case the travel distance for containers is considerably shortened
when compared to the distance that containers would have to travel within
single-hoist cranes of similar outreach.

[0101]From the platform 9, the machine trolley-hoist-spreader 6a on the
boom 3 only has to move either (1) a container 8 to the marine vessel B
moored on the inside face of the pier, or (2) a container 16 to the
re-stow stacking platform 15 (which is immediately adjacent to the back
legs of the mobile parent cranes 1). Either of these movements is
undertaken while the first trolley-hoist-spreader Sa on the boom 2 is
returning to lift another container 8 from the container ship A.

[0102]From the platform 12, as shown in FIG. 1, the trolley-hoist-spreader
13a in the sibling RMG crane 4 only has to move the container 8 either
(1) to rail-cars C1 or C2 on the rails running under both cranes, or (2)
to other over-the-ground vehicles D, similarly positioned under both
cranes. Again, either of these movements can be undertaken at the same
time the first trolley-hoist-spreader 5a on the boom 2 is returning to
lift another container 8 from the container ship A.

[0103]When the Poseidon® crane system of FIG. 1 is operating under
conditions of maximum synchronization, the cycle time in transshipping
containers should be as low as 50 seconds, i.e, less than half the time
achievable by even state-of-the-art single-hoist quayside gantry cranes,
such as those now being built in China by ZPMC.

[0104]A more detailed description of the movements of the containers
within the cranes 1 and 4 will be given with reference to FIG. 2, which
shows the loading and unloading sequence of containers between container
ship A and other marine vessels B.

[0105]The trolley-hoist-spreader 5a on the boom 2, under the control of an
operator stationed in the independently mounted operator control cabin
5a, lifts the container 8 from the container ship A and transfers it to
the fixed container receiving platform 9. On release of the container 8
at the fixed container receiving platform 9, the trolley-hoist-spreader
5a can immediately return to lift another container 8 from the ship A.

[0106]As soon as the trolley-hoist-spreader 5a on the boom 2 has cleared
the fixed container receiving platform 9, the machine
trolley-hoist-spreader 6a on the boom 3, under control of an operator
stationed in the independently mounted operator control cabin 6b, lifts
the container 8 off the fixed container receiving platform 9 and
transfers the container 8 to either the marine vessel B moored on the
inside face of the pier 14 or to the re-stow stacking platform 15 as a
re-stow container 16 for subsequent return of the re-stow container 16 to
the platform 9, and from there back into the container ship A by the
trolley-hoist-spreader 5a on the boom 2.

[0107]The combination of the two trolley-hoist-spreaders 5a, 6a working in
concert under the above-described sequence indicates that the mobile
parent quayside container crane 1, when transshipping containers 8
between a container ship A and vessels B (such as river/harbor barges,
container feeder vessels, or a coastal tug-barge system) should achieve a
sustained lift rate in excess of 60 lifts an hour. For comparison
purposes, 30 lifts an hour is considered an efficient sustained rate in
the United States with single-hoist quayside container cranes.

[0108]The importance of this increase in lift rate, and decrease in cycle
time, in transshipping containers is of considerable economic and
operational importance, especially as these relate to the time taken in
the management of the overall supply chain. For example, deployment of a
Maersk Class "5" or "K", nominally rated 6,800 TEU capacity, container
ship between Kaohsiung, Taiwan and the Port of New York, could see
unloading/loading the entire nominal cargo of 13,600 containers of this
vessel in 48 hours or less, as against 96 hours with standard single
trolley-hoist-spreader cranes.

[0109]For a given annual supply chain volume of 500,000 containers or more
a year, the savings in this example, in port time each voyage, can result
in being able to eliminate one entire vessel in the supply chain. At a
$100+ million capital cost per vessel, in addition to ship crew costs,
fuel costs, port fees, etc., the economic and operational incentives to
convert to multiple hoist cranes according to the present invention
becomes very real.

[0110]An additional, and important, consideration has to be taken into
account. The initial position of the mobile parent cranes 1 over
respective cells in the container ship A is not necessarily in alignment
with the container cells in container feeder vessels or coastal tug-barge
systems B moored on the other side of the pier 14. If misalignment is
under 2.5 feet or 0.75 meters on either side, a standard
trolley-hoist-spreader can be designed to adjust for such transverse
distances. When misalignment is greater than 2.5 feet or 0.75 meters in
either direction, additional alternatives have to be considered:

[0111]1. As container feeder vessels become larger (they are already at
1,200 TEU capacity in the Far East), and coastal tug-barge systems become
larger (they are already at 800 TEU capacity in the United States), one
alternative that can be considered is a system of "warping mules".
Warping mules have been used since the early 1900's on the Panama Canal.
Modern warping mules can be installed along the side of the pier 14. It
is now well within the state-of-the art to design warping mules capable
of moving, and aligning, even the largest container feeder vessels or
coastal tug-barge systems B.

[0112]2. A second alternative to be considered is to design the cells of
the feeder vessel or coastal tug-barge system with the same horizontal
clearance distances between cells as those on the container ship A. Once
such a feeder vessel or coastal barge is securely moored at the right
place on the side of pier 14, its cells, and those of the container ship
A on the opposite side of pier 14, will be in alignment. All mobile
parent quayside container cranes 1 working the container ship A will then
be in direct alignment with the cells on the feeder vessel or coastal
tug-barge systems B. The problem here, however, is that the number of
containers coming out of a single cell of a large container ship A
greatly exceeds the number of containers that a single cell can
accommodate on a feeder vessel or tug-barge system B. Therefore moving
the smaller vessels along the pier will still be required.

[0113]3. In order to minimize the number of movements feeder vessels or
tug-barges have to make, another alternative can be considered: In FIGS.
1 and 2, it will be noted that the trolley-hoist-spreader 5a on the boom
2 has to be able to drop (and raise) containers 8 onto (and from) the
platform 9 on the bearing platform Z. Similarly, the
trolley-hoist-spreader 5a has to be enabled to drop (and raise) container
vessel hatch covers 11 onto (and from) the platform 10 also on the
bearing platform Z. It will be noted also that the boom 3, supporting its
trolley-hoist-spreader 6a, lies above the bearing platform Z. In other
words, the containers 8 and the hatch covers 11 have to pass through the
boom 3 and its supporting structure. This, in turn, requires that the
boom 3 be wide enough to accommodate such passages through it by the
containers 8 and the hatch covers 11. However, the necessity of having to
provide a much greater width in the boom 3, as against the boom 2,
presents an opportunity to solve the misalignment problem referred to
previously.

[0114]The optimum solution to the problem of misalignment between cells on
either side of the pier 14 comes from making the width of the boom 3 wide
enough to accommodate the machine trolley-hoist-spreader 6a.
Specifically, the boom 3 should be wide enough to accommodate a machine
trolley-hoist-spreader 6a capable of moving the containers 8 both in a
transverse direction across the axis of the pier 14, and also
longitudinally (parallel) to the axis of pier the 14. A further design
option, inherent in this invention, is to make the longitudinal traverse
of the machine trolley-hoist-spreader 6a capable of loading/unloading
containers 8 to/from two adjacent cells of the feeder vessels or
tug-barge systems B.

[0115]One example of such a machine trolley-hoist-spreader 6a capable of
moving the containers 8 both in a transverse direction across the axis of
the pier 14 and in a longitudinal direction along the axis of the pier is
shown in FIGS. 12a-12c. The machine trolley-hoist-spreader 6a and the
operator control cabin 6b constitute a machine H mounted to run on rails
lengthwise along girders of the boom 3. The girders of the boom 3 are
spaced wide enough apart to enable the trolley-hoist-spreader 6a to
undergo limited movement on the machine H between the girders. The
displacement of the trolley-hoist-spreader 6a in lengthwise and widthwise
directions of the boom 3, i.e., transversely across the axis of the pier
14 and longitudinally along the axis of the pier, is controlled by an
operator stationed in the operator control cabin 6b.

[0116]As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, these exemplary embodiments of the
invention, from a terminal operations standpoint, makes practical, and
cost-efficient, the direct transshipment of containers between container
ships and other marine vessels moored on opposing sides of a pier and,
more specifically, by enabling this function to be undertaken without the
necessity of ground placement of any of the containers being
transshipped.

[0117]FIGS. 3 and 3a illustrate an embodiment of the crane system of the
invention whereby mobile parent quayside container cranes 1 and their
sibling RMG cranes 4 transship containers 8 between a container ship A
and railway modes, for example, between the container ship A and
double-stack container rail-cars C1, and/or single-stack container
rail-cars C2. The rail-cars, in both instances, form cuts of container
unit-trains standing on the pier 14 immediately under the mobile parent
quayside container cranes 1 and their sibling RMG cranes 4.

[0118]In this illustrative embodiment of the invention, part of the
container unloading/loading cycle is shown in FIG. 3, i.e., the
trolley-hoist-spreader 5a under the control of an operator stationed in
the independently mounted operator control cabin 5b lifts the container 8
from the container-ship A and transfers it to the fixed container
receiving platform 12. The platform 12 is an integral structural part of
the mobile parent quayside container crane 1 and is attached to the legs
of the crane 1 at the ship side thereof.

[0119]The on-going part of the unloading/loading cycle is shown in the
enlarged view of FIG. 3a. The trolley-hoist-spreader 13a mounted on the
sibling RMG crane 4 lifts the container 8 from the container receiving
platform 12 and transfers it to one of the double-stack C1, or
single-stack C2, container rail-cars comprising cuts of container
unit-trains on the pier 14 immediately under the cranes.

[0120]The reason that only an independent sibling RMG crane 4 can properly
execute this last transfer now becomes apparent and will be explained
with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4, which is a plan view of the pier 14,
shows a number of mobile parent quayside container crane booms 2 working
to unload a container ship A and also shows, for example, five parallel
rail tracks aligned under the cranes along the pier 14. On these five
rail tracks, however, the position of individual rail-cars, either
double-stack C1 or single-stack C2, can be out of alignment with the
mobile parent cranes 1 and the booms 2 and also out of alignment with any
single position of the sibling RMG cranes 4.

[0121]More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the booms 2 of the parent
quayside container cranes 1 are shown aligned over the container cells of
the ship A. At the same time, however, the crane booms 2 are seen to be
out of direct alignment with the rail-cars C1 or C2 on the pier
14--especially when these rail-cars, as shown, comprise different cuts of
container unit-trains. Because of this misalignment, the direct loading
of rail-cars by parent quayside cranes 1 (without the necessity of ground
placement) can only be achieved if these cranes were to make continuous
movements back and forth along the dock. This explains why a sibling RMG
crane 4 (associated with its parent quayside crane 1) and able to move
longitudinally up and down the dock, is needed if such continuous, and
uneconomic, short movements by parent quayside cranes are to be
eliminated.

[0122]For this reason, only the independent sibling RMG cranes 4 have the
full longitudinal and transversal range to reach all drop-off positions
under their parent cranes 1. By their independence, the sibling RMG
cranes 4 can transfer the containers 8 longitudinally, and transversally,
along and across the pier 14 to any position of the rail-cars C1 or C2,
independently of any fixed position of their parent cranes 1.

[0123]The sibling RMG cranes 4 operating from under, and out to the sides
of, their mobile parent quayside container cranes 1, however, must be
controllable so that they do not collide with either containers 8 being
lowered to (or raised from) the platform 12 by their parent cranes 1 or
other sibling RMG cranes 4 working under, and out to the sides of, their
mobile parent quayside container cranes 1. This can be achieved by
standard state-of-the-art automated control systems controlling the
position of each sibling RMG crane 4 as it must relate to the position of
its parent crane and the cranes 1 and 4 on either side of it.

[0124]From an operational standpoint, the following trend in container
terminal logistics is important. Specifically, as container ships
continue to increase in size, the need also increases to unload and load
these vessels as quickly as possible. Direct loading of containers onto
other modes is the most efficient and cost-effective way to do this.
However such direct loading dictates that each on-going mode is loaded
randomly. For example, all rail-bound containers should be loaded
randomly, and as quickly as possible, on any available vacant rail-car
immediately under the cranes. Sorting by ultimate rail destination should
not be attempted at the dock-side. Once cuts of rail-car unit trains are
loaded they should be moved as quickly as possible to a point within, or
near, the terminal, where the cuts can be formed into container
unit-trains. Once these unit-trains are formed, they should be moved,
also as quickly as possible, away from the terminal area to the nearest
interior marshalling yard. It is at these key interior marshalling yards
that consolidation of the containers by ultimate rail destination should
take place.

[0125]At least five of the world's largest container ports are already
building rail systems back from their main container terminals to achieve
essential parts of the needed new ship-to-rail container logistics
systems--Rotterdam and Antwerp in Europe, Los Angeles and Long Beach in
the United States and Deltaport (Vancouver) in Canada. The drive to do
this is coming largely from the increasing truck congestion in and around
these port cities. These new rail systems are multi-billion dollar
investments, as attested to by the Alameda Rail Corridor Project in
California at $2.0 billion, and the equally ambitious Deutsche Bahn rail
line and tunnels being built to connect the Ruhr with the Port of
Rotterdam via the interior container marshalling yard at Barendrecht in
the Netherlands.

[0126]Once these, and similar, rail systems are completed, the only
missing link will be to provide the direct loading and unloading of
containers to and from cuts of rail-car unit-trains positioned
immediately under the dockside cranes. An object of the present invention
to provide this essential final link in the new container supply-chain
logistics systems that, of necessity, are having to be developed.

[0127]FIGS. 5 and 5a illustrate an embodiment of the crane apparatus and
method of the invention used to directly transship containers 8 between a
container ship A and over-the-ground transfer equipment D such as, for
example, multi-trailer-sets (MTS), automated guided vehicles (AGVs),
single-container rapid transfer units, and/or trailer-trucks. In this
embodiment, the start of the unloading cycle shown in FIG. 5 is the same
as shown in FIG. 3., i.e., the trolley-hoist-spreader 5a on the boom 2,
under the control of an operator stationed in the independently mounted
operator control cabin 5b, lifts the container 8 from the container ship
A and transfers it to the fixed container receiving platform 12.

[0128]The on-going part of the unloading/loading cycle is shown in the
enlarged view of FIG. 5a. In the case of trailer-trucks D, these can be
driven, as is normal practice in marine container terminals, so that
their trailers are aligned directly under the sibling RMG cranes 4. Under
these conditions, the trolley-hoist-spreaders 13a, under the control of
operators in the independently mounted operator control cabins 13b, can
directly load the trailer-trucks D without necessarily having to move the
sibling RMG cranes 4. The same can be said for AGVs or other single
container, rapid transfer, units which can also be automatically located
under the sibling RMG cranes 4, by the use of standard state-of-the-art
automated control stops fed into their power drives.

[0129]With multi-trailer sets (MTS), and similar articulated, five or
more, terminal wagon transfer systems, these can be randomly parked,
within limits, under the cranes. Even if the MTS are randomly parked
under the parent quayside container cranes 1, their sibling RMG cranes 4,
being independently rail mounted, can accurately position the containers
8 on any individual empty wagon. This is because, as stated previously,
the trolley-hoist-spreaders 13a of the cranes 4 are able to move in both
a transverse and longitudinal direction over pier the 14.

[0130]FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the crane apparatus invention
wherein the hatch covers 11 of the container ship A can be lifted by the
trolley-hoist-spreader 5a on the boom 2, under the control of an operator
stationed in the independently mounted operator control cabin 5b, and
placed on the hatch-cover receiving platform 10 supported by the platform
bearing structure Z. This greatly shortens the cycle time as against
lifting and placing the hatch covers at ground level.

[0131]FIG. 7 illustrates the same embodiments of the crane apparatus of
the invention as shown in FIGS. 1 through 6, the only difference being
that, instead of a pier 14 constructed on, for example, the slab, plinth
and piling principle, the foundation in this case is one or more caissons
19. The heavy loads, both static and dynamic, created by, for example,
five mobile parent quayside container cranes 1 operating at maximum cycle
speed while unloading/loading a large container ship A, under certain
conditions, may be better compensated for by a crane platform comprised
of large, demountable, ballastable, trimmable, concrete caissons 19. Such
caisson platforms 19, and their use, are described in detail in U.S. Pat.
No. 6,017,617 by the same inventor, which is incorporated herein by
reference.

[0132]FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 show embodiments of the crane apparatus of the
invention installed on wharves or bulkhead wharves 20. FIG. 8 shows a
typical wharf or bulkhead wharf 20 built by standard construction. In
this case, for example, the dock front is shown as being constructed by
the plinth, slab and piling method. FIG. 9 shows, for example, the wharf
or bulkhead wharf 20 constructed using caissons 19 together with a
concrete apron 14a.

[0133]One difference between the embodiments of the invention shown in
FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, as against that shown in FIG. 1, is that the fixed
platform for storing restow containers is not required. With the added
land available back from the dock face and cranes, the option exists as
to whether to restow containers 16 on a fixed platform or on the ground.

[0134]Also with added backland being available with a wharf or bulkhead
wharf installation 20, and as shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, it is possible
that a wider range of container moving-and-handling equipment can be
utilized. The more restricted real estate available with piers 14 results
in the over-the-ground equipment that can be used being limited as to
type and numbers. In the case of wharves and bulkhead wharves 20, as can
be seen in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, other types of equipment can be used,
especially those that require more room to maneuver, such as
multi-trailer sets (MTS) E, rubber-tired gantries (RTGs) G, and straddle
carriers F. Also readily usable in this category, but not shown, would be
reach-stackers and top-picks.

[0135]All the direct transshipment functions that the parent quayside
container cranes 1 and their sibling RMG cranes 4 are described as being
able to execute in the embodiments of FIGS. 1-7 on piers 14, are capable
of being executed on the wharves and bulkhead wharves 20 in the
embodiments of FIGS. 8-10. The Poseidon® crane system will be just as
cost-effective and as efficient in terms of lifts per hour, and cycle
time, whether installed on a pier, a wharf or a bulkhead wharf.

[0136]FIG. 10 differs from FIG. 8 only in that it shows the installation
of automated overhead bridge cranes (OBCs) 21 for stacking containers in
the terminal. The installation of the OBCs 21 reduces the handling cost
per container and allows for a greatly increased stacking density per
acre. Recent developments in this area in Singapore, Hong Kong and
Antwerp, where backland is relatively restricted, have seen the
installation of OBC systems resulting in a terminal efficiency in the
order of 11,000 TEUs/acre/year. For comparison purposes, the efficiency
of the Port of NY/NJ container terminals is in the order of 1,250
TEUs/acre/year.

[0137]Ideally, as shown in FIG. 10, the machine trolley-hoist-spreader 6a,
under the control of an operator in the operator control cabin 6b, would
drop the container 8 to the ground as close to the backlegs of the cranes
as possible. From there, 1-over-1 shuttle straddle carriers (such as
those of Kalmar Industries) would only have to move the containers 8 a
short distance to a point where the OBCs 21 can pick them up and transfer
them into the stacks. The combined efficiencies of the Poseidon® crane
system, together with automated overhead bridge cranes in a stacking area
as close as possible to these cranes, would result in the most efficient
and cost-effective marine container terminal layout and design,
especially in areas where backland is restricted.

[0138]FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of the crane apparatus of the invention
which is smaller, and lower in height, than the embodiments described
heretofore. This embodiment of crane apparatus also has parent quayside
container cranes 1 and sibling RMG cranes 4 and is designed to transship
containers directly between container barges B and double stack C1,
and/or single stack C2, container rail-cars that are part of cuts of
container unit-trains positioned immediately under the cranes. As it does
not have to transship containers 8 from large containers vessels A, as
shown in FIGS. 1-3 and 5-10, this combination of cranes can be of a far
more compact design and therefore cost considerably less to construct.

[0139]This embodiment of the invention can also be installed on piers 14,
as shown in FIG. 11, or on a wharf or bulkhead wharf, similar to those
shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10.

[0140]Another exemplary embodiment of a crane apparatus and method
according to the invention using double boom (DB) cranes for the direct
transshipment of marine containers between vessel and rail modes, without
the necessity of ground placement, is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 and, more
specifically, in FIGS. 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d.

[0141]As shown in FIG. 13a, the crane apparatus comprises a double boom
(DB) crane 201A mounted to travel along a set of rails 231 provided on a
wharf apron 215 of a wharf 220. A sibling crane 204 is mounted to travel
along a set of rails 232 on the wharf apron 215, and the set of rails 232
are positioned underneath a backreach boom 203 of the DB crane 201A so
that the sibling crane 204 can travel back and forth along the rails 232
underneath the backreach boom 203. The DB crane 201A and its sibling
crane 204 are powered by electric motors in a manner well known in the
art, and the two cranes are separately controlled, independently of each
other, to travel in either direction along their own sets of rails.

[0142]FIG. 13a shows the DB crane 201A transferring containers 208 from a
vessel A to a container receiving platform 212 of the sibling crane 204.
The sibling crane 204, having its own trolley-hoist-spreader 213a, under
the control of an operator in a control cabin 213b, and being able to
move independently on its own set of rails 232, then can load containers
208 directly onto double-stack rail cars C1 or single-stack rail cars C2.

[0143]FIG. 13a shows, by way of example, six parallel sets of container
unit-train rail tracks 236 underneath the sibling crane 204. As is shown
in the terminal plan in FIG. 14, each of these sets of rail tracks runs
along the wharf apron 215 parallel to the wharf front and each set of
rails tracks can thus accommodate a cut of container unit-train rail cars
C1-C2.

[0144]This intermodal ship-to-rail container transfer, without the
necessity of ground placement, and as shown in FIGS. 13a, 13b and 13c, is
undertaken in a number of steps:

[0145]First: A trolley-hoist-spreader 205a on an outreach boom 202 of the
DB crane 201A, under the control of an operator in a control cabin 205b,
lifts a container 208 from the vessel A and places it on one of the three
or more buffer-slot platforms (fixed container-receiving platforms) 29
located on a deck (bearing platform) Z of the crane 201A.

[0146]Second: A trolley-hoist-spreader 206a on the backreach boom 203 of
the DB crane 201A, under the control of an operator in a control cabin
206b, lifts the container 208 from the buffer-slot platform 29 on the
deck Z and deposits it directly on a platform 212 of the sibling crane
204, which has been positioned along the set of rails 232 so that the
platform 212 of the sibling crane is aligned directly underneath, and in
the same vertical plane, as the trolley-hoist-spreader 206a.

[0147]Third: The operator in the control cabin 213b of the sibling crane
204 operates the trolley-hoist-spreader 213a of the sibling crane 204 to
lift the container 208 from the platform 212 and load the container
directly onto a container double-stack rail car C1 and/or a single-stack
rail car C2.

[0148]The trolley-hoist-spreader 205a on the outreach boom 202 of the DB
crane 201A is usually powered by electric winch and cable, with the winch
typically being located in a machinery house 207 located on a platform Y
above the outreach boom 202. Similarly, the trolley-hoist-spreader 213a
on the sibling crane 204 is usually of an electric winch-and-cable
design. The trolley-hoist-spreader 206a on the backreach boom 203 of the
DB crane 201A is of a size and weight that requires it to be most usually
of the self-propelled type of machinery trolley.

[0149]FIG. 13b is a plan view of the DB crane 201A from above the crane.
This plan view shows the difference in width between the girders of the
outreach boom 202 and backreach boom 203 of the DB crane 201A. As is
shown in FIG. 13b, the distance Y2 between the girders of the backreach
boom 203 is considerably wider than the distance Y1 between the girders
of the outreach boom 202. This is required so that the
trolley-hoist-spreader 205a (and the container 208 it is carrying) can
pass between the girders of the backreach boom 203 thus enabling the
trolley-hoist-spreader 205a to place its container 208 directly on a
buffer slot platform 29.

[0150]FIG. 13b also shows the relative size difference between the
winch-and-cable trolley 205a on the outreach boom 202 and the machinery
trolley 206a on the backreach boom 203 of the crane 201A.

[0151]FIGS. 13c and 13d are cross-sectional elevational views of the crane
201A. A comparison of these two cross-sectional elevations also explains
more clearly the necessary difference in boom width between the outreach
boom 202 and the backreach boom 203.

[0152]FIG. 14 is a plan view of a marine container terminal showing an
Ultra Large Container Vessel (ULCV) A, of 12,000 TEU capacity, being
unloaded at a wharf with eight ship-to-shore container DB gantry cranes
201A. This number of cranes is necessary in order to unload/load such a
large vessel in the required time. The DB cranes 201A are mounted on
their own sets of rails 231 and have outreach booms 202 and backreach
booms 203. The DB cranes 201A are shown transferring containers, without
the necessity of ground placement, from the vessel A to cuts of
unit-train rail cars C1-C2 which are arrayed along the wharf apron 215 of
the wharf 220 under the backreach booms 203.

[0153]FIG. 14 also shows the disposition of the independently rail-mounted
sibling cranes 204, on their own sets of rails 232, which are associated
with parent DB cranes 201A. A cutaway in FIG. 14 shows a plan view of two
sibling cranes 204 with their container receiving platforms 212.

[0154]As a result of being able to directly transfer containers 208 from
the vessel A to cuts of unit-train rail cars C1-C2 without the need for
ground placement, three important efficiencies in the logistics chain are
achieved:

[0155]First: The traffic congestion and pollution problems are greatly
reduced at such terminals. FIG. 14 shows a logistics system whereby
containers are loaded from a vessel directly onto unit-trains thus
reducing the need for large container stack areas J and the large number
of straddle carriers F and stack RMGs K1 (and other in-yard terminal
equipment) otherwise having to be employed.

[0156]Second: The number of containers leaving the terminal on road
trailer-trucks L, and exiting the terminal portals M1-M2, is likewise
significantly reduced.

[0158]FIG. 15 is a plan view of a typical ship-to-truck and
ship-to-near-dock rail terminal as is currently operated. FIG. 15 shows,
by way of example, a ULCV being unloaded at a wharf by eight standard
single boom SB cranes 205.

[0159]The container logistics pattern in predominantly ship-to-truck type
terminals usually follows six steps (not including movement of containers
within the stacks): [0160]Step 1: Containers are transferred from the
vessel A and deposited on a wharf apron 215 of a wharf 220 directly under
the SB cranes 205. [0161]Step 2: Straddle carriers F (or other in-yard
terminal equipment) take the containers from these locations and move
them to the stack areas J. [0162]Step 3: At the stack areas, RMGs K1, on
their own sets of rails 233, (or other in-yard terminal equipment) stack
the containers in the container stacks in stack areas J. [0163]Step 4:
The RMGs K1, (or other in-yard terminal equipment) place the containers
from the stacks onto the terminal pavement. [0164]Step 5: Straddle
carriers F (or other in-yard terminal equipment) again take the
containers and move them to the unit-train load-out facility and place
them on the terminal pavement within reach of RMGs K2, on their own sets
of rails 234.

[0165]In an alternative container logistics pattern: [0166]Step 5: The
RMGs K1 load the containers onto road trailer-trucks L that then exit the
terminal through the exit portals M1-M2. [0167]Step 6: The RMGs K2 pick
up the containers and load them onto the container unit-train cuts C1-C2.

[0168]The advantages of DB crane versus SB crane terminal layouts can be
seen by comparing FIGS. 14 and 15. These advantages are:

[0169]1. The smaller footprint of the DB crane terminal. The area required
for a similar TEU thruput capacity terminal is significantly less.

[0170]2. As a result, the total aggregate distance of all diesel-powered
container movements within the terminal, with their congestion and
pollution impacts, is also significantly reduced.

[0171]3. The area saving translates into a more compact terminal. For
example, the shorter distance of the transverse axis X1 of the DB crane
terminal in FIG. 14 is only 60% the distance of that of the comparable
axis X2 shown in FIG. 15 in the SB crane terminal. This represents a 40%
saving in the most critical dimension of terminals, especially those
located in densely populated port cities.

[0173]5. The capital costs and labor requirements of this equipment are
significantly less.

[0174]6. The turnaround time for the container vessels is reduced.

[0175]7. The overall capital and operating costs of the terminal are less
even though the capital and operating costs of the DB cranes 201A are
greater than that of the SB cranes 205.

[0176]FIGS. 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d show another exemplary embodiment of
crane apparatus and method according to the invention for the direct
transshipment of containers 208 between a vessel A and another vessel or
vessels B without the need for ground placement of the containers. DB
cranes 201B are mounted on rails 231 installed on a pier 214. On one side
of the pier 214 is moored a ULCV A, and on the other side are moored one
or more container feeder vessels (or container barges) B.

[0177]In FIG. 16, the configuration of the outreach boom 202 on the DB
crane 201B is the same as that of the DB crane 201A shown in FIG. 13.
However, as shown in FIGS. 16b and 16d, the backreach boom 206 of the DB
crane 201B is entirely different in this embodiment of the invention. The
boom itself is wider and the trolley-hoist-spreader 207a on the boom is
of different design from that in the FIG. 13 embodiment. The
trolley-hoist-spreader 207a is designed to be, in effect, a double
trolley. Specifically, one trolley within the other. A motor-driven main
trolley 207a moves backwards and forwards along the backreach boom 206.
Mounted on rails, at right angles to this line of motion, and within the
main trolley 207a, is a second trolley 207c, also motor driven. The
second, internal, trolley 207c contains the winch and cable system of the
hoist-spreader of the trolley-hoist-spreader 207a.

[0178]With this configuration, the DB crane 201B, while remaining at a
fixed location over one cell of the vessel A can, in effect, load two
adjacent cells of the much smaller feeder vessel B, without the need for
movement of the vessel B. In practice, the number of containers being
unloaded for a single ULCV cell can reach as high as 100+, whereas the
cell capacity of even a large feeder vessel may be no more than 50. By
using the double-directional trolleys 207a and 207c, neither the DB crane
201B nor the vessels A and B have to move while the crane is unloading
the ULCV's cell. The double-directional trolleys 207a and 207c can load
two adjacent 50 capacity feeder vessel cells while the DB crane 201B
remains fixed in location while unloading a single ULCV 100 capacity
cell. A more detailed comparison of the various trolleys described
heretofore can be gained from FIGS. 18a, 18b, 18c, and 19a, 19b, 19c,
19d, 19e.

[0179]FIG. 17c shows a plan view of a terminal where DB cranes 201B, on
rails 231, with backreach booms 206 (and double-directional trolleys 207a
and 207c), are shown directly transshipping containers between a vessel
A, on one side of a pier 214, to container feeder vessels (or container
barges) B on the other side of the pier 214, without the need for ground
placement of the containers.

[0180]FIGS. 17a and 17b demonstrate the large size difference between
present day ULCVs A and large feeder vessels (or container barges) B.

[0181]A practical example of the need for such a direct vessel-to-vessel
transshipment system, without the delay caused by ground placement, and
subsequent multiple handling, can be seen in the Port of Norfolk, Va. At
the present time, 30% of the containers on ships entering the Port of
Norfolk are offloaded and moved through terminal stacks for eventual
load-out onto road trailer-trucks destined for the Baltimore area. The
ability to directly transfer containers from deep-sea vessel to feeder
vessel, or to container tug-barge systems sailing up the Chesapeake Bay
to Baltimore, would significantly reduce the pollution, and time and
costs, involved with this excessive dependency on trucking.

[0182]FIGS. 18 and 19 show details of types of trolleys described
heretofore. FIGS. 18a and 18b are cross-sectional views, and FIG. 18c is
a plan view, of the trolley-hoist-spreader 206a on the backreach boom 203
of the DB cranes 201A. FIGS. 19a and 19b are cross-sectional views, and
19c is a plan view, of the double trolley 207a/207c under the control of
an operator in the control cabin 207b used on the backreach boom 206 of
the DB cranes 201B. FIG. 19c is a plan view of the main trolley 207a and
the internal trolley 207c. In FIG. 19c, arrows show the bi-directional
movements of both trolleys, i.e., the movements of the main trolley 207a,
back and forth, along the backreach boom 206, and the transverse, across
boom movements, of the internal trolley and its hoist-spreader 207c.
FIGS. 19d and 19e show in greater detail how, when the main trolley 207a
is stationary, the internal trolley 207c can move laterally and load
containers into two adjacent cells of a feeder vessel. As also shown in
FIGS. 19d and 19e, part of this dual cell loading capability is also a
function of utilizing standard spreader extension arms which can move a
container a further distance laterally of up to 5 feet without the
trolley-hoist-spreader 207c having to change position.

[0183]In both DB crane 201A and 201B configurations, the deck for the
buffer-slot platforms 29 at the gantry portal level of the cranes is the
same. FIGS. 13a and 16a both show the deck (bearing platform) Z installed
at sufficient height above the wharf apron 215, and in such a location as
to allow for the free movement of in-terminal container transfer
vehicles, such as straddle carriers F (yard-tractors, top-picks, etc.) to
move freely under the cranes 201A and 201B. In both DB crane 201A and DB
crane 201B configurations, the trolley-hoist-spreader 205a on the
outreach boom 202 is the same. Both crane designs allow the
trolley-hoist-spreader 205a to lift hatch covers 211 from the vessel A
and deposit them on the wharf apron 215 directly under and between the
crane rails of the DB cranes 201A and 201B.

[0184]Up to this point, only the buffer-slot platform portion 29
configuration on the deck (bearing platform) Z of the DB cranes 201A and
DB cranes 201B has been considered. It has now become possible due to
advances in several types of detector technology to consider an
additional configuration of platforms on the decks Z on the cranes DB
201A and DB 201B, namely, a configuration that enables the security
scanning and screening of containers while in position on such platforms.
In this configuration, the deck Z on the cranes 201A and 201B has to be
heavier in construction than the aforesaid decks Z in order to
accommodate scanning platforms and equipment that allow for the scanning
and screening of any container placed upon them.

[0185]FIGS. 20a, 20b and 20c show, respectively, side elevational, plan
and cross-sectional elevational views of such a deck and scanning
platform system placed upon them as shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 6,845,873
which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. One or more
detectors 39, which may be gamma ray, neutron, X-ray, spectroscopic or
other type detectors, or a combination thereof, are installed on a
motorized trolley that rides on rails 41 under scanning platforms 35 on
which a container 208 is placed during loading or unloading. The
platforms 35 are mounted on a deck 34 that is similar, but heavier in
construction, to the aforedescribed decks Z. As shown, the platforms 35
are disposed in pairs, in end-to-end relationship, to accommodate thereon
a 40' (or a 45') container 208. System-of-systems electronic data
acquisition, read-out and display console/monitors 42/43 are also mounted
on the deck 34. The deck 34 is mounted on beams 32 that are affixed to
the crane framework and supported by support brackets 33 welded to the
framework.

[0186]In this configuration, it is possible to reliably scan containers to
determine whether a "dirty bomb" or its shielding have been inserted into
a container. While important in its own right, detection of "dirty-bombs"
and their shielding is no longer the only detection technology available
that can be utilized on the decks 34. The breakthrough has come in the
development of small installations of Integrated Container Security
Scanning Systems (ICSSS) that can detect chemical and biological as well
as radiological emissions; and, as importantly, analyze these emissions
within a much shorter time scale than previously. The addition of
chemical and biological capability, to the already well-understood
radiological detection capability, makes for an efficient,
cost-effective, and reliable method for the integrated security scanning
of every container leaving or entering a ship.

[0187]Unlike radiological detectors, the additional chemical and
biological detection capability is better installed in vertical rather
than horizontal detectors. FIGS. 20a, 20b and 20c show CBEN detectors 40
mounted on rails on motorized trolleys. The CBEN detectors 40 are
designed so that they can be moved to envelop the end of the container
during the scanning and screening process. In actual practice, the CBEN
detectors 40 are preferably provided at each end of each pair of scanning
platforms 35, and the trolley-mounted detectors 39 are provided beneath
each pair of scanning platforms 35.

[0188]With scanning and interpretation times now down to 30 seconds and
less per container, such an Integrated Container Security Scanning System
can operate in parallel, within the same time cycle and in
synchronization, with the outreach trolley-hoist-spreader 205a, and
backreach trolley-hoist-spreaders 206a and 207a on the DB cranes 201A and
201B.

[0189]In summary, when fully automated, with automated stops on the booms,
and with the operator cabs separated from their trolleys (in order to
lessen repetitive G-force stresses on their operators), the DB cranes
201A and DB cranes 201B should be able to maintain 60 lifts per hour
without intermediate scanning, and 45 lifts per hour including
intermediate scanning (with all containers being scanned and screened by
Integrated Container Security Scanning Systems).

[0190]The DB cranes 201A and DB cranes 201B can be installed on wharfs and
piers constructed by traditional methods, such as slab, plinth and pile,
as shown in FIGS. 13a and 16a. The DB cranes 201A and 201B can also be
installed on wharf, bulkhead wharf or pier caissons such as those
described in my U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,803,659; 6,017,167; 6,234,714 and
6,845,873 which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0192]The double boom cranes 201B are positioned on a pier 214,
transshipping containers directly between a vessel A and container feeder
vessels (or alternatively container barges) B. After unloading and
loading all containers to be transshipped between vessel and feeder
vessels/barges, the vessel A is moved to a position under the double boom
cranes 201A.

[0193]FIG. 21 shows a container unit-train C brought to, and leaving from,
the terminal by main line locomotives N1. The unit-train C has
double-stack C1 and single stack C2 rail cars. The main line locomotives
N1 bring into, and take out from, the terminal container unit-trains C
over main line rails 235.

[0194]In-yard shunt engines N2 move cuts of unit-train rails cars C1-C2
over in-yard rail lines 236 for positioning under the direct
transshipment ship-to-rail cranes 201A. In the same manner as shown in
FIGS. 13 and 14, the cranes 201A transship containers between vessels A
and their sibling cranes 204, via the buffer-slot platforms 29 or the
buffer-slot and scanning platforms 35, so as to complete the container
loading/unloading cycle between vessel and cuts of unit-trains C1-C2.
Containers not to be loaded on cuts of unit-train rail cars C1-C2 are
placed on the terminal apron 215 at the furthest outreach of the
backreach booms 203 of the double boom cranes 201A.

[0195]At this ground location, the containers are shown as being picked up
by shuttle-carriers F and moved under the outside arms of the
rail-mounted gantries (RMGs) K1. The RMGs K1 are mounted on their own
sets of rails 233 in the terminal container stack area J. The RMGs K1
pick-up the containers and place them into the container stacks in the
container stack area J.

[0196]When ordered to leave these stacks, the RMGs K1 lift the containers
from the stacks and place them outside the stacks on the terminal
pavement for subsequent pick-up by straddle carriers F, or alternatively,
the RMGs K1 can load the containers directly out of the stacks onto road
trailer-trucks parked under their outside arms. In FIG. 21, lanes of road
trailer-trucks L1 are shown waiting for, and parked under, the RMGs K1.
FIG. 21 shows with arrows the route of inbound and outbound road
trailer-trucks L and their arrival and departure through terminal exit
portals M1-M2.

[0198]In this detailed description of the terminal the emphasis, for
clarity purposes, has been on the handling of import containers, i.e.,
the transshipment from vessel to rail, from vessel to barge and from
vessel to road trailer-truck. It should be noted that the terminal is
equally designed to facilitate the efficient handling of export
containers, i.e., the transshipment from rail unit-train to vessel, from
barge to vessel and from road trailer-truck to vessel.

[0199]The container logistics system shown in detail in FIG. 21 gives the
Port of Norfolk, for example, the opportunity to build the most modern,
most efficient and least polluting marine terminal in the United States,
if not in the world.

[0200]The backreach booms 203 of the cranes 201A are designed, in terms of
their length and width, to enable the cranes to undertake four specific
functions: [0201]1. In terms of boom 203 length, to enable the cranes
201A to transship containers 208 between a vessel A and container
rail-cars C1 and C2 by utilizing their associated sibling cranes 204; and
to do this directly, without the need for ground placement of the
containers. [0202]2. In terms of boom 203 length, to enable the cranes
201A to transship containers 208 between a vessel A and that area of the
wharf apron 215 directly under the farthest end of the backreach booms
203, such containers being destined specifically for transfer by
shuttle-carriers F (or other in-yard terminal equipment) to and from this
location and the container stacks J. [0203]3. In terms of boom 203
length, to enable the cranes 201A to transship containers 208 between a
vessel A and that area of the wharf apron 215 between the cranes 201A and
their associated sibling cranes 204, the containers at this location
being temporarily stored before restow back aboard the vessel A. [0204]4.
In terms of boom 203 width, to transship containers between a vessel A
and buffer-slot platforms 29 or buffer-slot and scanning platforms 35
located on decks Z at the gantry portal level of the cranes 201A. This
width, of necessity, being wide enough to enable the passage of the
containers, and the spreaders of the trolley-hoist-spreaders 205a
carrying them, between the girders of the boom 203.

[0205]In practice, the areas needed by these functions directly under the
booms 203 on the cranes 201A require the booms 203 to have a minimum
length of approximately no less 185', i.e, 185'+ from the inboard crane
rail of the cranes 201A to the farthest end of the booms 203. This
minimum length of the booms 203 is predicated on there being four
parallel unit-train rail tracks serviced by the sibling cranes 204.
Preferably, if the terminal's modal transfer is primarily to be one of
ship-to-rail rather than ship-to-truck, there should be six such parallel
tracks. In this case, the booms 203 preferably have a length of
approximately 210'±. With ULCV's now at 22 containers across, the
outreach booms 202 of the cranes 201A would have to be 200'± in length
(from outboard crane rail to the farthest end of the booms 202). With the
backreach booms 203 running approximately between 185'± and 210'±,
the cranes are "in balance" from a center of gravity standpoint, and far
more so than can be said for any single boom cranes.

[0206]In practice, the necessary width between the boom 203 girders has to
be greater than the longest dimension of the spreader of the
trolley-hoist-spreader (205a) and the container that it is carrying. Many
marine containers are now 45' long, as against their more traditional
length of 40'. This 45' container length, plus the overhangs of the
spreader, plus the safety margin to eliminate collision from the spreader
and container swaying, require that the minimum width between the boom
203 girders be on the order of 54'±.

[0207]In summary, it is the four functions required to be performed by the
backreach booms 203 of the cranes 201A that primarily dictate the length
and width necessary for the booms 203. While illustrative dimensions have
been described, the invention is not limited or restricted to these
dimensions, which have been provided only for illustrative purposes.

[0208]While the present invention has been described with reference to
presently preferred embodiments thereof, other embodiments as well as
obvious variations and modifications to all the embodiments will be
readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The present
invention is intended to cover all such embodiments, variations and
modifications that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended
claims.

Patent applications by Nigel Chattey, Irvington-On-Hudson, NY US

Patent applications in class By use of laterally moving crane

Patent applications in all subclasses By use of laterally moving crane